During his visit to Australia, the Patriarch of the Serbian-Orthodox Church, His Holiness Irinej, visited St Paul’s Cathedral, to meet Cathedral clergy and pray for the unity of Christians. Patriarch Irinej, accompanied by His Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral, and Serbian-Orthodox clergy from Melbourne was met by Dean Andreas, Precentor Heather Patacca, Senior Lay Canon Colin Reilly and Cathedral staff.
Dean Andreas, as Vicar General, conveyed warm greetings from Archbishop Philip Freier, and presented gifts to the Patriarch. As part of their visit, the Patriarch prayed the Troparion of Pentecost: ‘Blessed art thou, O Christ our God, who has revealed the fishermen as most wise by sending down upon them the Holy Spirit; through them thou didst draw the world into thy net, O lover of mankind. Glory to thee’.
Patriarch Irinej concluded his prayers for unity by leading the singing of the Kontakion of Pentecost: ‘When the Most High came down and confused the languages, He divided the nations, but when He distributed the tongues of fire, He called all to Unity. Therefore, with one voice, we glorify the All-Holy Spirit’.